Carpenter, the player Boston acquired for letting general manager Theo Epstein bolt to the Cubs, underwent surgery to remove a bone spur in his elbow and was on the 60-day disabled list for much of the season. The power-armed reliever has had a history of arm and elbow problems, including Tommy John surgery and a subsequent clean up of the elbow. He had good results at Triple-A Pawtucket upon his return and was promoted to Boston for some late-season work, but the command issues that have dogged Carpenter throughout his career surfaced in September, when he walked 10 batters in six innings. He starts with a clean slate in 2013 and there are openings in the bullpen, so he will compete for a roster spot during spring training.

2012

Carpenter has a good arm (he averaged 97 mph on his fastball in 9.2 major league innings), but injuries (two elbow surgeries in previous years, a strained oblique in 2011) have derailed his career so far. He's also had control problems at virtually every level. Sent to the Red Sox as part of the compensation for the Cubs' acquisition of Theo Epstein, his path to big league innings is a bit more cluttered. Barring a breakthrough in spring training, expect him to begin the year in the high minors where he'll try to hone his command. If he does, he could find himself in a high-leverage relief role at some point this season.

2011

Carpenter throws hard (up to 98 mph) and has a good curveball, but injuries (two elbow surgeries) and control issues have held him back. Barring a free-agent signing, the team's fifth rotation slot is up for grabs, and Carpenter could put himself in the mix this summer with a strong start at Triple-A. That said, he's probably behind Carlos Silva, Casey Coleman, Jay Jackson, Chris Archer and possibly even former first-round pick Andrew Cashner to get a shot in the rotation.